Erna is a 41-year-old woman and small business owner from the Philippines. She makes a small income from her grilled skewers and juice selling business, along with her husband's work as a company driver. Having had a family history of myoma, a type of tumor that can occur in the uterus, Erna frequently checked herself as a precaution. Unfortunately, in January 2022, she found a mass which was causing minor pain. Erna sought medical consultation and found out that she has myoma. This condition needs to be treated surgically. Erna cannot afford to cover her treatment on her own. Fortunately, a rural health worker helped her reach out to our medical partner, the World Surgical Foundation Philippines. On April 29th, Erna will undergo a hysterectomy to manage her condition and prevent further risk. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is requesting $1,485 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once she recovers, she will no longer have a hypogastric mass or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. “We were anxious when we found out about my condition. It’s also especially hard for us to think where to find the money to finance my surgery," Erna shared. "The support coming from World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi will be a big help for me and my family. Thank you so much for helping people like me," she added.

Joan is a 36-year-old woman and a mother of three teenage children. Joan used to help tend a farm, but the work availability was inconsistent and could not support her family's needs. Her fracture makes it impossible for her to work at this time, and she is currently staying with her mother. Joan's husband works on a construction site. In January, Joan slipped while doing chores outside her home and broke her hand. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she was given a cast for six weeks, followed by an arm sling. Since her pain never subsided, she visited Kijabe Hospital for further review. The doctors noticed a deformity at the fracture site and conducted an X-ray, which revealed a fracture in her upper arm. They determined that Joan will need to undergo surgery to heal. Currently, Joan cannot use her left arm, and it's affecting her family's livelihood. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help Joan receive treatment. On April 13th, she will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, that will allow her to use her arm again. AMH is requesting $1,500 to help fund this procedure. Joan shared, "I have been in prolonged pain for a lengthy period of time. My hand is broken, and I can no longer use my hand to work. This surgery will help me get back to my work and raise my family."

Feven is a beautiful 7-month-old baby girl from Ethiopia. She has two older brothers and five sisters. She loves to play with her mom. Her dad is a farmer and he works hard, but his income is not enough to maintain the family so his brother often helps. All their children are in school and Feven's mom sometimes is able to sell items at the market. Feven was born with a birth defect called anorectal malformation. She developed bowel obstruction because of her condition and had an emergency colostomy surgery. Her parents shared that they are highly affected psychologically and are sad and worried about their baby. Feven now needs a follow up surgery to help her eliminate bowel dysfunction. She is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on March 22nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. After her recovery, Feven will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing related health complications in the future. Her mom shared, “We were so worried. But thank God he gave us this opportunity.”

Millicent is a playful and confident eight-year-old student. She has big dreams and, in the future, she would like to be a news anchor. She is the youngest child in a family of two children, and her older sibling is 12 years old. Sadly, her father recently passed away in December. Her mother works as a security officer at a local school trying hard to cover the needs of their family on her own now. For the past two weeks, Millicent has experienced intermittent umbilical swelling. She has been diagnosed with a reducible umbilical hernia and requires surgery to treat her condition. If left untreated, the hernia is likely to grow and could cause life-threatening complications like gangrene or peritonitis. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Millicent receive treatment. On February 7th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at AMH's care center. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Now, she and her family need help raising $585 to fund her procedure and care. Millicent mother shared, "we are still mourning our loss and now our girl is sick. I am unable to pay for the important treatment she needs."

Zawadi is a three-year-old and the first-born child of her mother who has two children. Both parents are small-scale farmers with very little income. Zawadi’s father wishes her daughter to be treated so that she can walk and run as she grows just like other children. Zawadi was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, where her legs bow outward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Zawadi. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 13th. Treatment will hopefully restore Zawadi's mobility, allow her to participate in more of the activities she wants to try, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Zawadi’s father says: “I wish to see my daughter walking normally like other children.”

Mu lives with her four nieces and nephew in a refugee camp along the Thai/Burma border region. One of her nieces is a medic, the other a teacher, and the two youngest go to school with her nephew. Mu is unemployed and in her free time she enjoys gardening and reading the Bible. In 2019, Mu started to suffer from abdominal pain, back pain, and exhaustion. When she touched her lower abdomen, she could feel a mass. After the International Rescue Committee (IRC) helped her undergo medical investigations at multiple hospitals, she was diagnosed with bilateral endometriosis cysts and was told she has cysts outside of her uterus. Although she needed surgery, she was told she would have to wait because all surgeries had stopped due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Thailand. In September, she had an ultrasound which showed that she had one new cyst. The doctor said she would need surgery soon but Mu could not go back to Mae Sot Hospital for the next few months because more COVID-19 cases in the refugee camp caused a lockdown. When she was finally able to go to the hospital this month, doctors have scheduled her for surgery to remove her cysts. With Mu unable to pay for the procedure, IRC referred her to our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund for financial assistance to raise $1,500 that is needed for her treatment. "I felt like half of my worries disappeared when I heard that I could have surgery with the support of donors," said Mu. "I have waited so long to receive surgery and my condition is so painful. I would like to say thank you so much to everyone who is helping me."

Yvonne is a 15-year-old student and the youngest in a family of two children. She's in grade eight in primary school. Her favorite subjects in school are social studies and mathematics. She enjoys reading and would like to be a lawyer in the future. Her mother is a single mom and works as a farmer. Yvonne has clubfoot of her left foot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Yvonne receive treatment. She traveled to visit AMH's care center, where, on November 22nd, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery. After treatment, she will be able to walk without pain, wear shoes, and her self-esteem will improve. Now, AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Yvonne's procedure and care. Yvonne shared, "please help me undergo the surgery. I hope after this, I will be able to walk normally like others with no pain. I will be very grateful."

Veronica is a 50-year-old small-scale farmer. She has a contagious smile and an optimism for life despite the challenges she has encountered. She is a mother of six children and lives with her husband who is a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) driver. She grows maize for home consumption and sells the surplus for additional income. 10 years ago, Veronica began experiencing troubling symptoms, including a small mass on her neck. She visited several hospitals for lab tests and medication, but nothing seemed to help and the mass has grown. She has also gained weight and experiences shortness of breath and a fast heart. A friend told her about our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) and she visited AMH's care center hoping for a clear diagnosis and treatment. She was diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid and surgery is recommended to prevent her symptoms from worsening. On October 19th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at AMH's care center, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $936, and she and her family need help raising money. Veronica shared, "this condition is making me weak and I can’t work like before. I want to be strong for my children so that they can receive education and get their daily needs."

Leakhen is a bright and hardworking 12-year-old girl. She and her brother live with their parents, who are rainy day farmers, in Takeo province in Cambodia. Leakhen enjoys playing with her brother, reading books, and doing homework. When she grows up, Leakhen would like to be a teacher. Leakhen was born with congenital scoliosis. Congenital scoliosis is the presence of an abnormal curvature of the spine. The curvature causes the spinal column to bend left or right. Leakhen is not able to stand up straight or expand her lungs, which causes her frequent fatigue and chronic pain. Because of the stress that scoliosis places on the vital organs of adolescents and their ability to grow, active treatment is required. If not corrected, she could experience progressive weakness, numbness, or a loss of coordination. Leakhen is embarrassed to go places because of her condition. She has had two previous surgical procedures, and surgeons have determined that she needs a revision of her spinal rod to help her heal. Leakhen and her family traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On September 17th, she will undergo a revision of her spinal rod. During this procedure, surgeons will implant and expand a rod to allow her to continue to grow normally. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. This support will help her feel confident and be active like other children her age. Leakhen said, "I hope that my spine will look better and I can play with other children."

Florence is a 38-year-old house helper from Uganda and a single mother to two children, ages eight and nine years old. She works as a house helper and their family lives in a one-room house. For eight years, since her pregnancy with her youngest child, Florence has had a mass in her pelvic area. She experiences chronic pelvic pain and bloating and was diagnosed with multiple myomas and an ovarian cyst. Her medical team recommended a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus, to treat her condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,260 to fund Florence's surgery. On August 16th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at AMH's care center. Once recovered, Florence will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Florence shared, “I am overwhelmed with both sickness and family responsibility. I have been having this stomach upset for so long I am even worried. I need this treatment to be able to raise my young family."

Johnson is a charming and playful toddler and the only child of his young parents. They are small scale farmers of maize, vegetable, sunflowers, and beans. It is through their harvest that the family is able to get food and earn money for other basic commodities. The little boy was diagnosed with genu varus, a condition typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, often stemming from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Johnson's legs bow outward at the knee. He has difficulty walking and experiences pain after playing or running around for longer periods of time. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Johnson. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 15th. Treatment will hopefully restore Johnson's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Johnson’s mother shares, "My child is having a hard time walking due to his legs being deformed. I would love for him to walk well like other children but the cost is too high for us to afford help us."

Pendaeli is a 10-year-old student and the youngest child in a family of seven children. All of his siblings are grown and have moved to other cities in search of jobs. Pendaeli is being raised by his widowed mother. She is a small-scale farmer growing maize and vegetables for their family's food and to sell for an income. She also seeks out a variety of other jobs, like doing laundry for neighbors. Pendaeli has clubfoot on his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, causing difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping him receive treatment. He traveled to AMH's care center where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on June 11th. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Now, Pendaeli's family needs $935 to fund the procedure. Pendaeli’s mother shared, "finding money to take my son for treatment has been a big challenge and the cost is too high for me to afford. Please help."